The public is invited to taste the difference “local” makes in the quality of a meal at a special November 17 banquet hosted by the Westmoreland Conservation District. In addition to good fund, the program will include the recognition of the District’s 2006 Conservation Award winners.

Virtually everything served that evening at the Greensburg Country Club – from appetizers to desserts – will be food that has been grown, raised, or made in Westmoreland County.

“This is our way of showcasing the amazing variety of fresh, wholesome food that’s being produced in our county,” said Greg Phillips, Westmoreland Conservation District manager/CEO. Agriculture is Westmoreland County’s number one industry in terms of gross dollar product.

Local agricultural producers whose products will be used to create the menu include: Bardine’s Country Smokehouse, Crabtree; Bellview Foods, Penn; Friendship Farms, Lycippus; Hearts Content Farm, New Alexandria; Heinnickel Farms, Greensburg; Hillandale Farms, New Kensington; Hutter’s Dairy, Kecksburg; Kerber’s Dairy, North Huntingdon; Salsa Sisters, Latrobe; Sand Hill Berries, Mount Pleasant; Schramm Farms & Orchards, Harrison City; Stone Villa Wine Cellars, Acme; Dorothy Stoner & family, Latrobe; and Wendel Springs Farm, Herminie.

Also that evening, awards will be presented to five individuals and organizations that have made noteworthy contributions to conservation. They are: Adam Battistella of Greensburg – Conservation Farmer of the Year; Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County – Sustainable Community Partner; Rostraver Township – Municipal Conservation Partner; Murrysville Parks Volunteers – Conservation Volunteer; and Ann Rudd Saxman (posthumously) – Conservation Hall of Honor.

Mr. Battistella is receiving the Conservation Farmer of the Year award for the outstanding conservation work he has done on his 135-acre farm in Greensburg. Among the many conservation practices he employs on this commercial beef cattle and quarter horse operation is rotational grazing.

Rotational grazing allows animals to feed in only one area of the pasture at a time, while the remaining areas of the pasture rest. This practice benefits the farmer by improving the animals’ health, saving on feed costs, and producing more product. It benefits the community by reducing soil erosion, improving the use of animal manure, and improving water quality.

Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County is currently celebrating five years of helping area communities make good, long-term decisions about where, when, and how they should grow.

The non-profit organization is receiving a conservation award for the important role it has played in a number of projects, including: the development of Westmoreland County’s first-ever Comprehensive Plan (2004); in the multi-municipal plan developed by Hempfield Township, Greensburg, South Greensburg, and Southwest Greensburg (2006); in the Irwin Project community revitalization effort; and in the current undertaking of a US Route 30 Master Plan, which is developing a strategic blueprint for central Westmoreland County’s primary east-west economic growth corridor.

Rostraver Township is being honored for its progressive approach to controlling erosion and managing stormwater in the municipality. Rostraver is the first municipal government in Westmoreland County to adopt low-impact stormwater regulations into its ordinances, opening the way for innovative approaches, such as infiltration trenches, to be used in developments.

Murrysville Parks Volunteers will receive a conservation award for the thousands of hours this group has invested in maintaining and improving the community’s natural spaces, such as Duff Park.

These volunteers have worked to eradicate invasive plants, such as Japanese Knotweed, as well as to plant desirable trees and shrubs in disturbed areas, and blaze and maintain trails. Accepting the award for the group will be Pia van de Venne, who has served as the Murrysville parks volunteer coordinator since 1999.

Ann Rudd Saxman will be inducted into the Westmoreland Conservation District’s Hall of Honor. Ms. Saxman, 1914-1990, was a pioneer conservationist, botanist, landscape designer and master gardener.

She was an advocate of soil and water conservation, open space, composting, and recycling long before the “environmental movement” began. She also was a driving force in the formation of Nature Park – Westmoreland County’s first county park – in 1960, and it was her vision that this site should be largely undeveloped so visitors could study and enjoy the beauties of nature.

In 1976, when industrial development began on the nearby Donohoe Road, Ann worked to ensure that Nature Park would remain open, natural space. In 1996, the park was rededicated in her honor and an adjacent 10 wooded acres that originally were part of Ann’s farm, were added to the park.

The Conservation Hall of Honor was established by the Westmoreland Conservation District in 2003 as a way to permanently recognize the men and women who have made significant and long-term contributions to the conservation ethic in Westmoreland County. Plaques for each inductee are displayed in the District’s headquarters on Donohoe Road in Greensburg.

The Westmoreland Conservation District Annual Awards banquet begins at 6 p.m., and everyone is welcome to attend. Seating is limited and tickets must be purchased in advance. Price per person is $30.

Banquet sponsors include: Bruce Construction, C.B. Speicher Engineering, Roth, Moore & Associates, and Tri-County Engineering.

For more information, contact the Westmoreland Conservation District at 724-827-5271.

Link: Special Westmoreland Awards Photo Feature (PDF)

10/20/2006